The Perigord region is less than ten
thousand square kilometers in size, and is located within the larger territory
of the Dordogne. The landscapes of the region, however, are so rich and diverse
that we often refer to them by their color: The Green Perigord, in the northeast
section, gets its name from the variety of greens offered by the dense forests
of oaks, beech and spruce trees. The White Perigord covers the northwest region,
and is so named because of its vast limestone plateaux spreading white over the
horizon. The Scarlet Perigord in the southwest, is so named from the influence
of the large areas reserved for the vines, used to cultivate the individual
local wines. And finally, in the Black Perigord of the southeast region, the
landscape is deeply covered with thick forests of chestnut, oak and pine trees,
which cast a darkening almost mystical shadow over the area. The Black Perigord
is probably the best known and most visited due to its rich historic heritage,
which we will visit later in this newsletter, and most probably in newsletters
to come.